


Their second life

by Anneth_is_alright



Category: Video Blogging RPF, tronnor - Fandom, youtube - Fandom
Genre: Additional Warnings Apply, Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-24
Updated: 2015-07-24
Packaged: 2018-04-11 01:54:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4416557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anneth_is_alright/pseuds/Anneth_is_alright
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>College AU.<br/>Connor introduces himself reluctantly, but again, as he learns eventually, his unfriendly demeanor doesn't deter Troye in the slightest. The boy just wouldn't take no for an answer, when Connor is concerned.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Their second life

**Author's Note:**

> Mentions of suicide attempt, except not really (I guess). Tiny bit of swearing. Consider yourself warned.
> 
> Translated into Russian [here](https://ficbook.net/readfic/3473085)

_He slowly takes off his clothes, folding them neatly and leaving them on the bed. The water in the bath is lukewarm, but he doesn't really care. He waits as it almost reaches the brim. Then he grabs the pills from the bottle, gulping a mouthful of them, and chases them down with tap water, his throat burning from too many at a time._

_He enters the bathtub, water threatening dangerously to spill over._

_Darkness envelops him._

***

"Hey, wanna be partners?" Connor looks up to see a pair of bright eyes staring back. The boy in front of him smiles merrily, reaching out his hand in introduction. "I'm Troye."

Connor breaks away from the gaze, but nods and shakes the proffered hand, nonetheless. 

Troye flops into the chair next to him, and declares. "Guess we are stuck with each other for the semester, right? What's your name?"

Connor introduces himself reluctantly, but again, as he learns eventually, his unfriendly demeanor doesn't deter Troye in the slightest. The boy just wouldn't take no for an answer, when Connor is concerned. 

They end up sitting next to each other in every class they have together. 

***

"I was wondering if you wanna check out this movie everyone fusses about." Troye inquires innocently one day, looking over at Connor with an all-too-knowing smirk.

Connor just stares at the desk in front of him dumbly, feeling his blood rush to the tips of his ears. When he gathers the courage to speak, he refuses, but Troye drags him to the theatre anyway. 

They end up snuggling on the lovers' seat and sharing a bowl of chocolate-covered popcorn, because they are both suckers for sweet things.

Incidentally, this is the same reason Troye provides him as to why he leans over to kiss him, mere seconds before the final credits go.

***

"My roommate just bought this cool espresso machine. He is almost as much obsessed with coffee as you are." 

Connor doesn't dignify this jab with an answer, opening the lid of his plastic cup and sprinkling cinnamon all over his latte.

The espresso machine in question is a real deal indeed, he ascertains, as he stands in Troye's kitchen naked, only a bed sheet covering him, with his knees giving out and throat sore from too much use last night.

***

"So, I figured that flying home for Hanukkah is too big of a deal, and will cost me a small fortune. What are you up to for Christmas?"

Connor just books an extra ticket to Minnesota. 

***

"It's Valentine day next week. You think we shall do something?"

When the day actually comes, neither of them can be bothered with reservations, so they just order a Chinese takeout and convince them to send leftover fortune cookies, so they basically spend the evening, trying to guess each other's future.

According to Troye, Connor will become a gold-digger, who will marry rich widows before giving them a lethal injection of Botox, and, since Botox is actually some sort of poison - as he remembers from a documentary watched many years ago - he will be untraceable. Connor forecasts that Troye would become one of Katy Perry's backup dancers, until one day he throws her offstage by accident, and will become a little internet celebrity.

They make love, on the floor littered with noodle boxes and candy wraps, so noisily that Troye's roommate can return home and leave immediately completely unnoticed.

*** 

"You know that I love you, right?"

Connor hides his face in a scarf, damning his complexion, giving away his excitement immediately. Troye looks momentarily irritated with the scarf, so he bluntly reaches out to him, and pulls it down, exposing Connor's face. Troye can't contain his laughter, as he sees that Connor has been hiding a stupid toothy grin all the time. 

Their kisses in the alley escalate so quickly that they are almost charged with indecent exposure, and manage to get off only with a warning only because Connor is so ashamed that he can't stop apologizing to the officer all the time he's scolding them.

***

"When my birthday comes, we should go away for some time. There's this beautiful lake, and they say you can book a cabin really cheap."

Connor packs two pairs of swimming trunks, because at this point he knows that Troye sucks at packing. When they finally reach the cabin and inspect their bags, they find out that Troye brought a curling iron and a white dress shirt, but only one change of underwear and a single flip-flop. Troye ends up going commando, much to Connor's amusement.

***

"Remember I told you about that talent scout? They want to sign me to this label so I could open for one of their artists on the tour."

Connor silently leaves the apartment, only to return in 15 minutes to an exasperated Troye with a bottle of the most ridiculously expensive champagne he could find on Sunday evening, and they drink it out of his favorite coffee mug which is so huge that they only refill it twice for a whole bottle. 

***

"Have I ever shown you my songs? Because they really like it."

Connor looks through a worn, dog-eared notebook, and notices that all the lyrics are dated last year or earlier. Troye has literally written nothing since they got together. 

***

"I can't write about a heartbreak when I'm fucking in love!"

When Troye abruptly ends the phone conversation, Connor pretends to be engrossed in a book. Troye silently takes the book away from him and curls on his lap, sighing. He doesn't say anything, and neither does Connor.

***

"I think we should take a break."

Troye drops his fork in surprise, and it bangs on the plate loudly, so Connor winces. The conversation is heated, and none of their points make actual sense, but their voices get louder and louder to the point where Connor is throwing plates, and Troye storms out of his own apartment at 3 a.m. 

He leaves for the tour the next day.

Connor thinks that the only thing he wants in life is Troye's happiness but he also thinks that he has messed up so badly. 

***

The tour is a blast. Everyone is fascinated with this new singer even more than with the star he is opening for. He has got the voice, he looks the part, and there is something mysterious and alluring about him that appeals to men and women equally.

Gossip magazines and Internet sites are overwhelming with the rumors. 

Connor looks at the pictures and smiles because Troye looks happy and healthy, and he deserves it more than anyone.

Connor has done the right thing breaking up with him. Troye is too good to be true and he deserves so much better. 

Connor doesn't regret a single thing. Then he curls up on a couch and breaks down in quiet sobs.

A couple of hours later he stands up and marches over to the bathroom.

_Darkness envelops him._

***

Connor wakes up with a choked gasp to a buzzing noise from his alarm clock, hastily throws on some clothes, not even bothering with an iron or a hair gel, and sprints out, grabbing a banana from the fruit bowl. 

He is so late, and he is going to be in so much trouble, so he has no time to think about that weird dream which didn't feel like dream at all, and who dreams about a year of life anyway? He jogs awkwardly to his university. 

He can't be late his first day. 

Since he doesn't know where exactly he needs to be, he just wanders aimlessly, opening some doors at random, until he finds the room that seems to be the one he needs.

The professor goes on and on about how the presentation shall affect their grading system. 

"Hey, wanna be partners?" An unsettlingly familiar voice asks from beside Connor. He looks up, and meets the brightest eyes he has ever seen, be it in his dreams or in reality. 

Connor hesitates for a second, remembering the cool water filling his lungs, as drowsiness kicked in. He feels as if he can't breathe, but he obviously can, and the look the boy gives him makes his blood boil. He can't deal with it, not anymore. 

So he shakes his head no and turns away from the boy, pretending he doesn't exist. The boy seems slightly deflated, but turns to the girl on his other side and partners with her instead. 

Connor closes his eyes and sighs.

***

The lecture is over, and he scrambles on his feet to hastily leave the room.

Until he feels slender fingers on his wrist. The sensation of goosebumps on his arms and hairs on the back of his head standing feels familiar. 

He turns, and it's the same boy again, holding onto him firmly. Connor tries to squirm his hand away, but to no avail.

"So, you don't wanna partner with me, but maybe you wanna go out? On a date?" He adds for good measure. "My name is Troye, by the way."

And he still doesn't let go of his wrist, and Connor gives out a laugh but it sounds more like a sob. He covers his eyes with a hand and nods. 

From what he remembers, this boy wouldn't take no for an answer anyway.

**Author's Note:**

> Loosely inspired by a movie "Triangle" which was done, it seems to me, with the only purpose of mindf**k.


End file.
